Means for transporting material



April 26, 1938. J. E. KENNEDY ET 'AL MEANS FOR TRANSPORTING MATERIALFiled March 18, 1935 2 Shets-Sheet l INVENTORS f E. Kenned BY afl- Hesse,

ATTORNEY April 26, 1938. J. E. KENNEDY ET AL 2,115,023

MEANS FOR TRANSPORTING MATERIAL Filed March 18, 1955 2 Shets-Sheet 2INVENTORS F, Kennedy,

BY ,7. Hesge,

W 0% f air ATTORNEY Patented Apr. V26, 1938 UNITED STATES "PATENTOFFiClE.

Hollis, N. Y.,

assignors,

by mesne assignments,

..to Reconstruction Finance Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., acorporation oi the United States Application March 18,

4 Claims.

This invention relates 'to apparatus for handling pulverulent material,such as pulverized coal, cement, flour and the like, liquid orsemiliquid materials, such as slimes or slurries and concrete, as wellas granular material. such as rye, wheat, oats, corn, flaxseed and thelike, and relates particularly to apparatus of this character includinga container to contain the material adapted to be mounted upon atransporting vehicle, such as a railway car, motor truck or vessel, totransport the same from a source of sup; ply to a remote place, andmeans connected to the container adapted for connection with a source ofcompressed fluid, such as air, and admit the same to the container toempty or discharge the material from the container and serve as thevehicle to convey the discharged material to a" other fluid andconnected with the bottom and top' of the container to effect dischargeof all of the material from the container.

In apparatus of this character should the material being handled consistof pulverulent material, such as flour, and particularly cement, thematerial from the container will enter into the air supply'means at theconnection thereof with the bottom of the container and eflectivelychoke the same and prevent admitting air pressure into the containerthrough such connection, and it is another object of the invention toprovide improved means to connect the air supply means with the bottomof the container, said means including valves normally shutting oif saidmeans from the container and operative by the pressure of the air whenthe air supply means is connected with the source of compressed air toactuate the valves and open communication with the container andmaintain the same in said condition during the connection of the airsupply means with the source of compressed air.

In handling pulverulent material, particularly cement, in apparatus ofthis character due to the material absorbing moisture, such as moistureoi. condensation, the material will tenaciously ad- 55 the top andbottom of the container and conhere to the wall of the container andparticularly 1935, Serial No. 11,744 (01. 302-53) nected with a sourceof compressed air, tubular means flexibly suspended within and from thetop of the container and connected with the air supply means adapted tobe moved or swung about the container by the discharge of the airtherefrom and discharge the air to different portions. of the containerand thereby loosen material adhering to the wall of the container, andthe provision of means to control the connection of the a air supplymeans and said flexibly suspended means alternately with the source ofcompressed air.

Another object of the invention is to provide means to prevent loss ofmaterial from and the packing of material in the outlet of the containerduring the transporting of the container -from a. source of supply to aremote place of discharge.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this application,Figure 1 is a side elevation of apparatus showing an embodiment of theinvention, the container thereof being shown partly in section to showthe arrangement of the base portion of the container and mountingthereof on a support as well as the connections of air supply means withthe container and the arrangement of the outlet means of the container.

Figure 2 is an elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of the baseportion of the container to show the mounting of a releasable closuremeans for an access opening thereto.

Figure '3 is a-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 lookingin the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view, on an enlarged scale, ofvalve controlled nozzles ;for admitting fluid under pressure to thebottom of the container.

.Figure 5 is a sectional view of the top portion of the container toshow the arrangement of closure and sealing means for the materialfiller opening to the container.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional'view taken substantially on the line6-6 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows to show thearrangement of the valve controlled connections of the air supply meanswith the bottom of the container.

Figure 7 is a sectional view of the lower portion of the container takenon the line 'I-I of Figure 6 lookin in thedirection of the arrows.

Figure 8 is a. sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 'I lookingin the direction 01' the 55 and showing mountingot nossles in thecontainer bottom I and n1 connection thereof with a conduit for on'witha source or compressed fluid orair. I

I 'igureQil:asectionalviewtahenontheline 'Horr-i ureoiooxingmtnedirection oithe Figure is a sectional viewof an upper portion of thecontainer and conduit for admitting fluid pressure to the top of thecontainer to show the con'nection'oi said conduit with the container.

Figure llisayiewlookingatthetop oil!!- ure 10.-

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings opening I! through theapex to constitute the outlet through which the material is dischargedfrom the container. The bottom member is arranged within and secured tothe body member intermediate the ends so that the body member or sidewall of the container will extend about and beyond the bottom member, asclearly shown in Figure 1, and said extended side wall constituting abase portion adapted for supporting and mounting of the container upon asupport, as S, which may constitute a platform truck of a transportingvehicle, such as a railway car or a motor truck and co-operate with suchsupport to provide a housing or chamber about and enclosing the bottommember therein. To gain access to the housing or chamber about thebottom member the extended side wall is provided with an opening 2!closed by a flat closure plate 2| releasably secured by bolts 24' tojamb members 22 flxed to and extending longitudinally of the oppositesides of the opening. Due to the curvature of the wall 'i'l of the bodyof the container and the flat arrangement of the closure plate 2| thereare spaces above and below the closure plate which are closed by plates26, 21 secured to and extended inwardly from the wall of the body of thecontainer. To facilitate manipulating the closure plate it is providedwith a hand grip 2i. To reinforce and provide the lower end of the bodyI I with a supporting base, an annular member 28 of right angle form incross section is secured at one angle portion to and within thecontainer body with the other angle portion extending inwardly and flushwith the end of the container body.

The flller opening of the container (Figure 5) is provided with closuremeans adapted to be manually actuated to opening and closing posiauaossmovement toward and way from o as rubber, disposed about the innerend ormember 34, the opening through said ring To providea pressure tightclosure. a bevelled portion II adapted to sea ring as of yielding andresilient material. such o! a diameter slightly less than the openingthrough the annular member 24 whereby the inner peripheral portion oisaid ring will extend into the opening oi the annular member t4 andprovides readily yielding seat for the closure. The closure disk isadiustably mounted on and carried by the annular member I4'bya stein Itsecured to and extending axially irom the closure disk siidably engagedin an opening in a hub 40 carried axially oi the annular member 34 byspider arms 4i extended radially inward irom the annular membenand saidstem and closure disk being held against rotation by a key in the hubengaging a keyway in the stem, as at 42. To manually adjust the closuredisk toward and away from the annular member 34 to close the opening andopen the same to the container, a

nut 43 is threaded onto the stem at the outer side of the hub 40, saidnut being provided with hand grips 44 to facilitate turning the nut ontothe stem and drawing the closure disk to the seat 39. The arrangement ofdrawing the closure member'to its seat by 'the nut as described willpermit of movement of the closure member to its seat 39 independent ofthe actuation of the nut 43 onto or oil from the stem To protect theclosure means from the elements and accumulation of foreign substancesthereon exterior oi the container, and also to prevent tampering withthe contents of the container. a removable housing is provided therefor,shown as comprising a dome-shaped member 45-hingedly The material isemptied or discharged from the outlet IQ of the container by fluidpressure, such as steam or air, preferably compressed air, ad-

mitted into the container from a suitable source of supply to loosen andaerate the material at the bottom of the container and to the top of thematerial in the container to exert an extruding force on the material,and said fluid pressure being adapted to constitute the sole conveyingvehicle for the material discharged from the container to a point remotefrom the container. For this purpose means connected with the containerare arranged within the housing or chamber formed by the side wall ofthe container extended beyond the bottom is and adapted for connectionexterior of said compartment with the source of fluid under pressure andfor the connecting oi a conveying conduit to the outlet of thecontainer.

To connect the container with asource of air under pressure a supplypipe or conduit is extended through an opening Si in the closure plate2| into the container chamber, the end of said pipe exterior of saidchamber being arranged for connection with a conduit leading from thesource of air supply or for connection of a closure cap; The pipe 50extends to adjacent the container bottom I! and is connected within thecontainer chamber to the bottom of the containenior which purpose alaterally extending portion 53 of the pipe 50 is connected by a couplingto a branch pipe I extending parailelly of the exteriorof the containerbottom, which pipe 65 in turn is connected to aseries of pipes 56, shownas three in number, spaced longitudinally of and extending aboutthecontainer bottom It. Each pipe 58 is connected to the bottom of thecontainer through a series of nozzles 51, shown as four in number spacedin rows about the bottom It. The nozzles embody a casing whereby theyare mounted in the container bottom with the outlet orifice or orificesof the nozzles 58 opening to the interior of the container for thepurpose of admitting air to the container to aerate the-materialadjaeach nozzle 'is provided with a valve normally" urged to position toclose the nozzle orifices and adapted to be actuated to open the nozzleorifices and admit air through the nozzles to the container by thepressure of the air when the nozzles are connected through the pipe 50with the source of air supply under pressure. The nozzle valve consistsof a spherical member 59 of resilient material, such as rubber, toengage a conical wall til in which the nomle orifices are arranged, the

valve being carried at the end of a stem or plunger 'fl slidably mountedby a portion of reduced diameter at the end opposite the valve member inan opening 62 in a plug 63 threaded into and closing the end'of thenozzle casing opposite the orifice. A piston 64 is arranged on'theplunger consisting of a disk of flexible material of greater diameter.

than the diameter of a portion of the nozzle casall, with a part thereoftapped into the pipes 56 and a part screw threaded into the nozzlecasing in communication therewith intermediate the piston 64 and thedischarge orifice 58, whereby the compressed air admitted to the nozzlecasing will exert a force on the piston to actuate the valve carryingplunger to move the valve 59 away from the nozzle orifice and permitdischarge of the compressed air through the nozzle orifice into thecontainer. To permit of escapeand of admis-, sion of air to the nozzlecasing in back of the piston the nozzle plugs 63 are provided with aperforation Ii and said plugs are provided with a recess 12diametrically opposite the perforation for application of pin wrench tofacilitate removing the plugs 53 from and engaging them'in the nozzlecasing.

. Compressed fluid, such as air is admitted to the top of the containerI'I above the material therein through the lead-in pipe 50 by a branchpipe or conduit 14 connected at one end to the pipe 50 through aconnection 15 having a 'valve 16 interposed therein to control the flowof the fluid or air into the top of the container and a blow oil! valve,as illustrated in a conventional manner at 11, operative by the pressurein the container to permit the escape of the fluid or air from thecontainer when itexceeds a predetermined pressure in the oonmheh- Theconduit it is extended throulh the wall of the housing about the bottomII and in an upward direction parallelly of the exterior or thecontainer n and the head it with the end opposite to the and connectedto the pipe I. in communication with the top of the container through anopening 1a (Figure 10) m the head it to a triangular chamber Itsuspended from the head and arranged to distribute the fluid pressure ina fan shaped course downwardly along .the concave contour of the headand distributing the same over the top of the material to exert anextruding force on the material in the container.

The material in the container is discharged therefrom under theextruding fluid pressure admitted by the pipe I4 and the materialaerating fluid pressure admitted through the nozzles 1 through adischarge conduit connected in communication with the outlet I! in theapex of the conical bottom It and extended laterally through an opening8| in the closure plate 2| for the ac-' cess' opening to the containerchamber with the end portion thereof extending exteriorly of the closureplate 2| flanged laterally for the connection of a closure member 82retained in closing position by bolts engaged in alined openings in theconduit flange and closure member and nuts threaded onto the end of thebolts projecting beyond the closure member, as at .3, during thetransporting of the container. To prevent removal of the closure plate"and the material from the container, by unauthorized persons, suitablemeans 84. is provided to lock the closure member in closing position,shown as a key operated lock 84 secured to one of the bolts exteriorlyoi the nut thereon, as shown in Figures land 7.

1 To prevent material packing-in andclogging the container outlet l9 anddischarge conduit 80, particularly when the material in the containerconsists of flour or cement which may absorb moisture, such as moistureof condensation I or otherwise, and a consequent partial setting of thesame when it consists of cement, the closure member 82 is provided witha plug 85 to'engage in the conduit and being of a length to extend intothe outlet I9. When the container is delivered to the remote place. ofdischarge, the closure member 82 with .the plug 'is removed and asuitable conduit, not shown, through which to convey the material in thecontainer to a place of use or storage, is connected to-the flanged endof the conduit 80.

To facilitate the discharge of material through the conduit 80 fluidpressure from the feed pipe 50 is admitted into the container anddirected toward the outlet end thereof by a nozzle '6 mounted in thecontainer wall opposite to and with the discharge orifice directedtoward the connection of the conduit 80 with the container outlet, thenozzle being connected in communication with a lateral extension 01 ofthe pipe 56, as-

shown in Figures 6 and 7.

In the present instance the conduit is connected with the. dischargeoutlet I! of the container by a connecting member 88 secured to theoutlet end of the conical bottom, as by welding, as at 89, and having atubular portion Sll extending laterally therefrom to which the conduit80 is connected, as at 9|. However,it will be obvious that the conduit80 may be connected directly to the container in communication with thecontainer outlet.

Due to moisture that will accumulate on the interior surface of the bodyof the container and the conical bottom, as moisture of condensation,

.valve 92 interposed in the conduit 94.

or moisture absorbed by the material, the material, particularly when itconsists of pulverulent material, adheres to the container andparticularly to the conical bottom, and while the aerating fluidpressure admitted into the container by the nozzles 51 will loosen andefleet discharge of such material when it consists oi granular materialit is not sufllcient to dislodge pulverized material, such as cement orflour, that has absorbed moisture adhering to the conical bottom wall.charge such material adhering to the wall of the conical bottom, meansare provided to dislodge said material from the container wallcomprising a flexible tube I! (Figure 1) connected to a conduit 94extended through the container head 18 into the container, the conduitbeing supported on the exterior of the container by brackets 9i and theopposite end portion extended through the wall of the housingsurrounding the conical bottom and connected to the pipe 50 through avalve 92. -The valve 92 is a two way type of valve operative to shut offthe pipe 50 from thepipe line 55 and conduit 14 while the conduit 94 isconnected to the pipe 50 and source of fluid and maintain the pipe line55 and conduit "ll open to pipe to and source of fluid when the pipe 94is shut oil from the pipe 50 and source of fluid pressure. The free endof the flexible tube is engaged over an end of a rigid tube 96 andsecured thereto by clamping members 91 to suspend the rigid tube fromthe flexible tube. The rigid tube 96 is of a length to extend into theconical bottom l9, as shown in Figure 1. When the fluid pressure is shutofl from the conduit 14 and nozzles 51 and fluid pressure is beingsupplied to the conduit 9|, the fluid pressure passing through and fromthe tubes 93 and 96 will cause a flexing of the tube 93 and effect aswinging of the rigid tube 96 about the container, as shown in dottedlines in Figure 1, and direct the stream of fluidpressure dischargedfrom the rigid tube about the side of the'container. To prevent noiseand damage to the container by the striking of v to the wall of thecontainer will be dislodged bythe stream of fluid pressure dischargedfrom and directed by the rigid tube against saidmaterial and by thevibration set up in the wall of the container by the contact between therubber encased end of said tube and the wall of the container. Thefluidpressure delivered to the conduit 94 may be varied depending on thecharacter of material adhering to the container wall by a The materialdislodged from the wall of the container will accumulate in thedischarge conduit connecting member 88 and is discharged therefromthrough the conduit by actuating the valve 92 to shut oil the pipe 94from the fluid pressure supply and connect the fluid pressure supply tothe pipe line 55 and conduit 14.

To discharge the material from the container the cap 52 is removed fromthe pipe 50 and said pipe is connected to a source of air supply underpressure. The closure member 82 with the plug 85 is removed and adischarge conduit leading to a place of discharge connected with theconduit 80. The valve 92 is actuated to connect the nozzles 51 and thepipe 14 connected with the source of air supply to admit such airthrough the nozzles and pipe "into the container and To overcome thisdisadvantage and dis-,

thereby eflecting discharge ot'materialirom the container through theconduit ll. lhe'pressure oi the air admitted to the top of the materialin the container will urge the closure disk ll into pressure tightsealing engagement with the sealing gasket 30 and thus prevent escape ofpressure through the material inlet. After the material is dischargedfrom-the container with the exception of the material that'may haveadhered to the wall thereof, the valve 92 is actuated to shut oil thenomles l1 and pipe 14 from and to connect the flexibly mounted pipe .8to the source of air pressure and admit such air through the pipe 8!into the container and therebydislodge the material adhering to thecontainer wall as hereinbefore set forth, said dislodged materialcollecting at the container outlet I! and'is discharged from thecontainer by actuating'the valve 02 to shut oi! the pipe 96 from thesource of air pressure and connecting such air to the nozzles container,a tubular member connected with the I supply conduit flexibly suspendedin the container and o! a length to terminate within the convergingbottom to admit fluid pressure into the container adjacent the bottomand operative to loosen material adhering to the wall of the container,and valve mechanism to control the connection of the supply conduit withthe bottom and top of the container and selectively operative to shutoil the flexibly supported member from the supply conduit and open thesupp y conduit to the bottom and top 01' the container to efiect anaerating of the material and exert an extruding force on the materialand discharge of the material from the container outlet, and shut ofl'the connection of the supply conduit with the bottom and top of thecontainer and connect the flexibly supported member with the supplyconduit to. effect a loosening of the material adhering to the wall ofthe container.

2. In means for handling pulverulent, granular or like materials, apressure container for the material including a vertically disposedcylindri cal body having a material inlet in the top and a hopper bottommember having an outlet through the apex for the material from thecontainer, means to seal the material inlet opening,

a supply conduit adapted for connection with a source of fluid underpressure, branch conduits connected to said supply conduit, two of saidbranch conduits leading to and communicating with the top oi thecontainer and another of said branch conduits connected to andcommunicating with the bottom of the container to admit fluid underpressure into the container to aerate and exert an extruding force onand discharge the material from the outlet, and a tubular memberconnected with one of the branch conduits leading to and communicatingwith the top of the container and flexibly suspended in the container toextend into the hopper bottom to direct the fluid pressure to the bottomwall and operative' by the delivery of the fluid pressure therethroughto loosen material adhering to the container wall.

3. In means to handle pulverulent, granular or like materials as claimedin claim 2, valve mechanism to control the connection of the supplyconduit with the branch conduits selectively operative to connect thesupply conduit with one of the branch conduits communicating with thetop of the container and the branch conduit connected to andcommunicating with the bottom of the container and shut oil? the supplyconduit from the branch conduit connected with the flexibly supportedmember to admit fluid pressure into the container to efiect aerating anddischarge of the material from the container outlet, and connect thesupply conduit with the branch conduitconnected with the flexiblysuspended memher and shut oi the supply conduit from the other branchconduits to effect a loosening of material adhering to the wall of thecontainer.

4.- In means for handling pulverulent, granular or like materials, apressure container for the material having a material inlet andanoutlet, means to sealthe material inlet, a supply conduit adapted forconnection with a source of air under pressure connected incommunication with and admitting said air to the top and bottom of thecontainer to discharge the material from the container, a tubularmemberflexibly suspended in the container and extending to adjacent thebottom and connected with the supply conduit and adapted by thedischarge oi. the air therefrom to be swung about the container andloosen material adhering to the wall of the container, and valvemechanism to alternately shut off the supply conduit from the flexiblysuspended member and connect the supply conduit in communication withthe top and bottom of the container, and connect the flexibly suspendedmember to the supplyconduit and shut oil communication between saidsupply conduit and the top and bottom of the container.

' JOSEPH E. KENNEDY. ADOLF HESSE.

